Yankton School District uses The 30,000-Foot View,
Interactive Budget Model Software,
to Help Analyze Multi-Year Budget Projections

The 30,000-Foot View was designed to provide school districts, with a management level decision-making tool. The system gives users the ability to change a variety of variables and analyze a virtually endless array of budgetary scenarios. Additionally, with the use of Microsoft
Excel® and a SMART Board, this analysis can be made during actual meetings eliminating the delay in having to go back and run numbers and re-evaluate at a later date.

The Yankton School District located in Yankton, South Dakota first became aware of the software application and provided valuable feedback in having the software customized to meet the specific state requirements of South Dakota.

The application was presented by a handful of initial users, including the business manager at Yankton School District, at a South Dakota Association of School Business Officials (SDASBO) conference and gained greater acceptance from there. Many of the school districts joined together to take advantage of the joint training sessions that were offered. The software provides a complete picture of district finances by incorporating the ability to forecast South Dakota funding formulas in
conjunction with local taxing parameters and integrating several future financing scenarios.

      “The model is an outstanding budget tool for school district
      business officials in South Dakota”
              Dick Unruh
              Business Manager
              Yankton School District

Yankton School District most recently used the budget forecasting model to help them during the negotiations process with their teachers.   During a marathon sixteen hour session, the business manager equipped with a laptop and a copy of The 30,000-Foot View was able to run “what-if” scenarios with the proposals being considered to see the projected impact of each proposal on future budgets.  Board members and administrators were impressed with the results and the model made it possible for them to reach a multi-year agreement.